envelope machine



E (No Model.) 3 Sheets-SheetWl.

H. A. MANN, Jr. ENVELOPE MACHINE.

N0.Z91,.614. PatentedJan.8, 1884.

-H. A. MANN, Jr.

3 Sheets-Shed 2.

(No Model.)

ENVELOPE MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 8

m n w (No Model.)

- 3 Sheets- Sheet 3. H. A.-MANN,J1-. ENVELOPE MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 8, 1884.

WITNESSES 2 aka N. Pnsns Plwloiithographcr, Wamingmn. n. a

UN TED. STATES Parent @Errr cn,

HENRY A. MANN, JR, OF BALLSTON SPA, NEXV YORK,

ENVELOPE-MACHlNE.

SPECIF CATI ON forming part of Letters Patent l lo. 291,614, dated January 9, 1884.1

Application filed September 30, 1882. (No model.)

To aZZ 1071,0111, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. llLlNN, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in Baliston Spa, in the county of Saratoga, in the State 5 of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements, in Envelope-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex act specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part IO hereof.

I 5 and wherein the said blanks in quantities are placed upon a suitable feed-table or elevatingsnpport, and thence one by one automatically taken by the mechanism and gummed, folded, and delivered in a completed condition to the apparatus for drying, counting, or bunching the same. y I 1 It will of course readily be understood by all persons versed in the art to which this invention appertains that certain constituent elements of my improved machine notherein shown or particularly described may be and areconstru cted to operate in ordinary manners, or in any way: suitable for properly effecting the desired result.

While believing that the machine embodying my improvements is novel and original with me, I will particularly point out the features on which]; especially rely, viz: the combination and arrangementof the mechanism fingers, as hereinafter explained; also, in the pushing-fingers operated by an oseillat-inglever, which fingers push forward the envelopeblank as it is taken by the plate from the gummer as it rises, so that the blank is caught be tween the carrying-rollers and passed on; also, in thefolder placed between the second pair of creasing-rollers and between themand the pressing rollers, with its curved or folded sides so arranged as to fold one side of the en velope and partly fold the upper flap; also, in the mechanism which carries forward the envelope-blank through the machine, consisting ofthe pushing-fingers with projecting pins,

platform,.the firstset of carrying-rollerswith for operating the gumnier and the pushinga guard on its outer edge, a lever, and oscillating attachments, and a second set of carrying, creasing, and pressure rollers. I attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure l is a plan view of the entire ma chine; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the mechanism combined and arranged to operate the gummer and pushing-fingers; Fig. 3, a View of the creasing and carrying rollerson the first pair of shafts; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the folder, shown in Fig. 1 immediately after the first pair of creasingrollers; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the folder, looking from the platform; and Fig. 6, a sectional longitudinal view immediately to the left ofthe central part of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts througlr out the several drawings.

A is one of the four guide-posts to keep the pile of envelope-blanks straight and in proper position as they are fed up to be gummed.

B is the gunnner that lifts the envelopeblank, and b are the guides to keep gummer B in a vertical plane.

O is the plate that removes the envelopeblank from the gnmmer and deposits it on the carrying-fingers.

D is the weight that brings back thegunimer after it is charged with gum.

E represents the gum-box and roller.

F' represents the pushing-fingers that carry the envelope to the creasing-rollers.

G is the lifting-lever, weighted at g, that lifts the gunimer. l

l H is the drop-lever for squaring the envelope by friction as it is being pushed between the first set of creasing-rollers.

I. is the snail-cam that operates gummer B and lifting-lever G.

K represents the carryingrollers on the first pair of shafts and between the creasing-rollers K, as shown in Fig. 3.

' L represents the fingers that keep the envelope-blank fiat while it is being fold-ed.

M, with its curved sides at, is'the folder which folds the ends of the envelop e-blanlrin the creases made by rollers K. p p v N "represents the carrying-rollers between folder between them, a second platform with i the flat rollers N.

O is the platform on which the envelopeblank is deposited by carrying-rollers N, 0 being the guard therof.

P is the pushing-lever, with a flat end piece set at a right angle to it, for pushing the partly-folded envelope between the second set of rollers.

R represents the creasing-rollers for creasing both sides of the long way of the envelope.

S are the carrying-rollers for keeping the envelope straight, or in proper direction, as it passes through the folder.

T is the folder for folding the envelope the long way.

U is the roller for pressing down flat the lower previously-pasted flap of the envelope,

and U is a narrow roller for pressing only the edge of the upper flap.

V is a right-angled lever, moving in a slot, for drawing gummer B back over the gummingroller.

' on the bar to which the pushing-fingers are affixed.

Z is an oscillating lever, pivoted in its center and at one end to pushing-lever I.

The mode of operating my machine is as follows: The envelope-blanks, having been properly cut, are piled in a considerable quantity on an automatic platform or feed-table, (not shown,) that being situated immediately beneath the gummer, the blanks being kept in proper position by means of the four guideposts, two of which are located at A. The machine then being put in motion by means commonly used for such a purpose, the snailcam I, acting on the lifting-strap X, raises the gummer B by means of the lever G, which lever is weighted at g to cause it to fall to its original position, and said cam, revolving, acts on the lifting-strap W. That raises the lower arm of the right-angled lever V and causes the gummer to be brought back over the gumbox E. The said cam having now passed from beneath the lilting-strap WV, the weight D pulls the gummer back to its position on the plate 0, and the lower edges, which project below said plate, being charged with gum, adhere to the envelope-blank on the top of the pile. The cam now begins its second revolution,-thereby raising the gummer as before, but with the envelope-blank attached, the same being freed from the gummer B by the plate 0, and deposited on the ends of the pushing-fingers F. These fingers have a projecting pin, f, to push the envelope-blank across the plate 0 and between the carrying-rollers K, as said fingers are moved forward by the lever Y, attachedto thewheel a by a slightly-bent bar, y. WVhile the gummer is operated as before, said envelope-blank is urged forward by the rotary motion of the carrying-rollers K,

to practical mechanics.

and kept in proper position by means of the drop-lever H. The blank is now creased by the creasing-rollers K, and passes through the folder M, the curved sides m of which fold the ends of the envelope-blank, which blank is held in position by the fingers L, pressing lightly in the creases made by creasing-rollers K. The said blank is now caught by the second pair of carrying-rollers, N, and conveyed through the flat rollers N, which press the folds just made and deposit said blank upon the platform 0. Thelever I, operated by the oscillating lever Z, pushes the blank at aright angle into the second pair of creasing-rollers. These latter crease the sides of the envelope and carry it to the rollers S, which push it squarely through the folder T, where the lower flap is folded fiat and the upper flap partly folded, and thence the envelope passes between the rollers U and U. While thus passing the wide roller U presses the previously-pasted lower flap of the envelope and the narrow roller U presses the fold of the upper crease. It is now, by means of an endless belt (not shown) or other familiar device, delivered ready to be dried, counted, or bunched.

It will be observed that the first set of creasing-rollers, K, are placed on shafts, one above another, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper roller has a tongue projecting from its edge, which fits into a corresponding groove in the lower rollers. On the center of the shaft bearing the upper rollers is a carrying-roller with. a beveled edge acting on another and wide rimmed roller beneath, so nearly touching each other as only to leave room for the envelopeblank to pass and press between. Th e second set of creasing-rollers, R, has no carrying-rollers between them, as they themselves carry the envelope forward.

For the purpose of adapting my machine to the manufacture of any desired size of envelopes, I make various parts adjustable by means of set-screws and other appliances well known These means must be obvious without fur:

ther description; but so far as I know, in a machine of the nature of my invention, they are now used and embodied for the first time, and therefore I regard them as novel component parts of my invention, and of great value.

secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an envelopemachine, the combination,

substantially as hereinbefore described, of the Thus the guide-posts I 30 \Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to cam I, lifting-strap X, lifting-lever G,1iftingstrap WV, right-angled lever V, guides b, and

. weight D, all operating the gummer B, the gummer B and its parts, the plate 0, platform gum-box and'roller E, pushing-fingers F, operated by the oscillating device composed of the oscillating lever Y and its attachments, drop-lever H, carryingrollers K, and creasing-rollers K, folder M, and fingers L, carrying-rollers N, and flat rollers N, platform 0, with its guard 0, lever P, actuated by oscillating lever Z andfits attachments, creasing-rollers R, carrying-rollers S, folder T, and rollers U and U, all being constructed and organized for operation as set forth.

2. In an envelope-machine, the combination and arrangement, as hereinbefore described, of the gumming apparatus B, gum-box and roller E, operating mechanism I, X, G, W, V, b, and D, and their attachments, all being con- I structed and organized as hereinbefore speci- 3. In an envelope machine, the pushing-fingers F, with their projecting pins f, operated by the oscillating device, consisting of the oscillating lever Y and its attachments, in combination with gummer B, all. constructed, arranged, and operating as hereinbefore speci- 4.. In an envelope-machine, the combination I and arrangement of the creasing rollers K and R, folder M, with its curved sides m, guidingfingers L, platform 0, and the lever P, operated by the oscillating device Z, all constructed, arranged, and operating as set forth and described.

5. In an envelope-machine, the combination and arrangement of-t-he carrying mechanism, consisting of the pushing-fingers F, with pins f, platform 0, carrying-rollers K, creasingrollers K, and carrying-rollers N, with folder M between them, platform O,with guard 0, 1e ver P, and oscillating attachments, and rollers R,S, U, and U, all being constructed and organized for operation as set forth and described.

6. In an envelope-machine, the folder T, having curved or folded sides, as shown, and the rollers U and U, so that the lower flap is folded, pressed flat, and sealed, while the sealflap is folded and its fold onlyis pressed Without sealing the flap, all being constructed andarranged as hereinbcfore specified.

7. In an envelope-machine, the combination and arrangement of the creasing-rollers'R, the carrying-rollers S, the folder T, and the press ing-rollers U and U, so as to fold and press both flaps, and at the same time seal the lower flap of the envelopes, as set forth, and all'constructed, arranged, and operating as hereinbefore shown and described.

' HENRY A. MANN, JR.

Titnesses:

JAMEs P. SMITH, Orriis. E. FITOI-IAM. 

